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Event Films | The day happens once, the record has to last
On the day everyone is busy and no one has time to go back and check the footage. The editing work is to keep what really mattered that day.
Event footage is usually a mixed bag: several cameras, different angles, lighting that brightens and dims, sound that is good one moment and poor the next, and long stretches of waiting and changeovers in between. The footage has no structure of its own; the structure is made in the edit.
Event films also tend to have two uses: one is a full record, to be kept and reported back; the other is a highlights version, to be published and to give people who were not there a sense of it. The two are cut in completely different ways, so it is best to be clear about which you need from the start.
These situations are a good fit
- Press conferences and launches: needing both a full record and a highlights version the media can use
- Conferences and talks: to be turned into online courses or internal training material
- Year-end parties and annual meetings: to share internally and as promotional material for next year
- Award ceremonies: a full record of the proceedings plus the award moments
- Exhibitions and markets: a highlights cut of the atmosphere on the day
- Openings and ribbon-cuttings: a short version for publishing
Common formats and lengths
- Full record: as long as the event itself, with no substantial cutting
- Highlights version: 2–5 minutes, most often used for publishing
- Short version: 30–60 seconds, vertical, for social media
- Mainly landscape 1920×1080
- For talks we suggest delivering “the full version plus chapter markers”, which makes it easier to find things later
Please have these ready
The rules for materials are simple. Just follow whichever one of the options below matches what you have:
1. You already have footage
- Upload the original files to Google Drive, then share the folder link with us
- Please put the files in order first — name them in the order you want them to appear (01, 02, 03…). This step saves a great deal of back-and-forth and makes the quote more accurate
- Please send the original files rather than sending them through a messaging app, which compresses them and costs you quality
2. You do not have footage yet
A simple script is enough. You only need to write down three things:
- From which second to which second
- What is on screen
- What text appears
For example:
0–5 sec | Opening shot (for example an aerial of the setting, the entrance, the product itself) | Text: the brand or topic name
5–12 sec | Main content, camera pushing in slowly | Text: the one line you most want people to remember
12–20 sec | Closing shot | Text: contact details or a call to action
It does not need to be beautifully written, just clear. We will use that script to assess how feasible it is and what the scope of work would be.
3. Other things we can look at (not required)
Below are the supporting materials people often have for this kind of video. They are only a reference, not a requirement. Providing your material in either of the two ways above is enough — having these lets us assess things faster, and not having them makes no difference.
- Send the files from every camera — a multi-camera edit comes out much more natural
- The recording from the sound desk, if there is one — this matters especially for talks and ceremonies
- The run sheet or programme
- The names, job titles and organisations that need to appear
- Anything to be kept out of shot (guests who have not agreed to appear, for example)
For anything else, just ask on our official LINE.
How we might approach it
Every project has a different set of materials and a different brief. What is listed below are the approaches commonly used for this kind of video; which of them we actually use, and how far we take them, depends on your material and what you need.
- Aligning the timelines: cameras are auto-synced by their audio tracks and then checked section by section, so picture and sound do not drift apart
- Tightening the running order: waiting, changeovers and repeated sections are kept or removed depending on what the film is for
- Repairing the live sound: microphone popping, audience noise and uneven levels are the most common problems in event films
- Captions and name titles: speakers, guests and organisations are identified on screen
- Correcting for lighting changes: shifts in exposure and colour temperature caused by the stage lighting are corrected section by section
We do not simply apply a fixed package. We need to see the full picture of the material and the brief first, and only once we have confirmed what can realistically be done do we provide a quotation and a production schedule. That way the price and the delivery date rest on something solid, and you will not get halfway through and find that extras are needed.
The most common regret with event films is the sound. If there was no feed from the sound desk and only the camera's built-in microphone, there is a limit to how much post-production can improve it — especially in a large venue or where the audience is talking. If you can arrange a direct feed from the sound desk at your next event, the result will be far better.
Process
How we work together
Every project is bespoke, so the process starts with “taking a look first”, not with a price.
Send the material or a script
If you have footage, upload it to Google Drive and put it in order; if you do not, send a simple three-point script (from which second to which second / what is on screen / what text appears).
Assessment and quotation
Once we have seen the full picture of the material and the brief, we confirm what can be done and provide a quotation and production schedule.
Production and delivery
We deliver a first cut on the agreed schedule, and export the finished film once the revisions are confirmed. Working days are counted from confirmation of payment.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
The event has just finished and we need it next week — is there time?
Just tell us the delivery date you need. For rush jobs we first assess whether it fits into the schedule, and we only reply if we can take it on; we will not agree first and then run late.
Can the full version and the highlights version be made together?
Yes, and it is a common way to work. The two versions are quoted separately, but since the footage only has to be organised once, doing them together usually works out better value than commissioning them twice.
What if the live sound is very poor?
We listen to it first and then tell you how much it can be improved. Popping, unbalanced levels and background noise can usually be dealt with — see live recording repair.
What if a video file will not open?
Files corrupted by an interrupted recording or a memory-card fault can usually be recovered — see recovery for video files that will not open. As soon as you notice a problem, stop using that memory card.
Can English subtitles be added?
Yes. Subtitles in more than one language are a separate item of work, so please say which languages you need when you enquire.
Thinking about a event films?
Email us and we will reply with what else we need to know, then move on to assessment and a quote. LINE works too.